AI is calling it quits

Word is NBA superstar Allen Iverson is planning on retiring after 13 seasons. Sources say Iverson wants to move on from basketball and spend more time with his wife and family. Iverson's recent parting with the Grizzlies on bad terms wouldn't have anything to do with it would it?

True Confessions:'twilight-new moon'..a cautionary tale

Our trash can is broken. So my wife says, "Let's run over to Bed,Bath and Beyond and pick out a new one, I have a $10 coupon." Kool and the Gang, we purchase a new can and some K-cups, then we go to Starbucks. I'm sipping on my chocolate espresso truffle, next thing I know my black ass is stitting in the AMC holding a giant pretzel watching previews, all of which should go straight to DVD and Robert Pattinson is in every one of them.

Anyway my review, obviously I didn't read any of the series of books but this grungy girl's boyfriend leaves her, he's a vampire who drives a Volvo, uses rear-view mirrors, goes to class, attends cocktail parties, wears crosses, lights candles, get they picture taken, buys garlic cloves at Publix, just does a bunch of things your average vampire doesn't do.

Grungy lady does dangerous, suicidal things to herself throughout the flick to see if her vampire-ex is still looking out for her including extreme motorcycling, hooking up with an entire motorcycle gang, moodily staring out the window for six months straight, not talking to her friends, slapping werewolves upside the head and cliff diving. I'm hoping all the time at some point she's successful so I can go home and watch football.

Personally, I thought she should have hung with the werewolves, but Courtney Love ends up flying to Italy to attend an Adam Lambert concert in a cathedral and to save her vampire boyfriend who was fixing to reveal himself (get publicly buck nekkid) at the Feast of the Miracle of St. Annas. Now, I may have told you the ending but I wouldn't know, I had to pee and soon the entire restroom was full so the film mercifully must have ended.

I rate a movie not by thumbs, but how it hurts your ass to sit through it. Using theatre chairs, its an inverse scale like golf, so the less theatre chairs the better. Sorry to say, 'twilight new-moon' gets 4 out of 5 chairs it was almost like the ass whuppin I got for lighting my drumsticks afire then playing them on the cardboard ice cream containers in the house. No worse than the argument I would of had to sit through if I didn't go to the movie.

Is Ma$e a hipocrite?

One of Ma$e's former church members is airing him out for hipocrisy. Christian rapper Legacy the Jesus is upset with Pastor Mason Betha for very publicly getting saved and preaching God's word then going back to the street life--and asking church members to fund it. For me, I’m an investor dog,” he continued, airing out Mase’s alleged shady ways when it came to getting money from church members. “Because I’m sewn into your ministry, you pulling us in the back room asking us to help fund your music projects because he didn’t have his label situation yet. So he literally asking people from the church to support that so I’m an investor at this point … you understand. And if you taking my money to do something contrary to what you told me then we got a problem. We got to sit back at the roundtable and talk about what your motives are.”

Source: the YBF

Balloon Boy stunt may have been a hoax

The story of the boy who was thought to have floated away from his family home in a homemade helium balloon gripped the attention of the U.S. yesterday. Now some suspect it may have all been a ploy for media attention. During a live interview with CNN yesterday, the boy in question confesses he heard his parents calling his name during a search of the home and grounds, but failed to answer the calls. He then blurted out his parents said they were doing it "for a show." The boy's father emphatically denies it was all a setup. Local sheriffs plan further investigations into the matter.

Video: CNN via YouTube

Source: AP

It's Also Getting Chilly in the other 'D'

Kwame still messin up y'all...

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner today ruled in favor of a discovery motion forcing former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to disclose his assets within 10 days.

Kilpatrick has until Oct. 16 to disclose any assets held by himself, his wife or a third party for his benefit. He'll also have to provide salary information and disclose any gifts he may have received.

After serving 99 days in prison, Kilpatrick moved to the Dallas area after taking a job with Compuware subsidiary Covisint. Recent news reports suggest he's living comfortably, renting a million dollar home and driving a new Cadillac Escalade.

Speakin of "throwin' some D's" (I know I'm piling on) also peep the Fox News video for the ex-Dearborn, Michigan cop calling 911 cause he got high on some endo-brownies...

When Blogging goes wrong: Woman adopts black baby then sends it back 18 months later...

Anita Tedaldi, mother to five girls and wife to a deployed soldier, adopted a South American boy who’d been abandoned by the side of a road. The boy failed to develop a familial bond with Tedaldi or her daughters (like somehow it was his fault). So Tedaldi “returned” her adopted son like a failed product after eighteen months of being his mother. Of course, Tedaldi wrote a blog about her experience and it caught the attention of the NY Times and the Today show. Mind you Tedaldi also wrote an article entitled, 'We Can't Trade In Our Children or Husbands', in January 2008 on the site military.com.

After Anita made her decision, the adoption group found "Baby D" a home with another family, and, according to Anita, he is doing well. Do you think we should be able to trade in children like pokemon cards or she did the appropriate thing by trying to right an untenable situation.

The Industry is really clowning Kanye now

White Stripes frontman commandeered the microphone at the Toronto Film Festival Friday night during an acceptance speech by his concert documentarian saying "Imma let you finish—but Orson Welles made the greatest movie of all time!"

Both American Idol Host Ryan Seacrest and Survivor Host Jeff Probst were nominated for outstanding reality show host (the words "outstanding" and "reality" should not be uttered together) at the Emmys on Sunday. Probst threatened, "If Ryan wins, I’m pulling a Kanye.”

Christina Applegate, Kelly Bundy on Married With Children, mused at the Emmys, "I just have to wonder: Who's gonna pull a Kanye?"

And Emmy host Neil Patrick Harris promised, "I will make my speech as brief as possible in the hope that it won't be interrupted by a congressman or a rapper."

Woman spanks another woman's 2-year-old inside Salvation Army

43-year-old Gloria F. Ballard has been charged with assault after allegedly bending another woman's 2-year-old son over her knee and spanking him inside an Ohio Salvation Army store. According to the child's mother, Donnay Jones, Ballard approached her after her son did something to catch Ballard's attention. Ballard told the mother she she didn't know how to take care of him and should make her son behave, bent him over her knee, and spanked him in front of the mother. Ballard maintains she simply gave the child a hug and a pat on the bottom because he was upset.

Jones said, “She was down there, trying to tell me what I should do and how I should act with my son...I was sitting there shocked thinking, ‘Did she really just do that?’ I could have put my hands on her for doing that to my son, but something told me not to put my hands on that lady. I think I did the right thing to press charges."

Ballard faces up to six months in jail and a $1000 fine if convicted. She has been convicted in the past of disorderly conduct, public intoxication, tresspassing, and other misdemeanors.

They should probably add improper use of magenta lipstick past 1989, overzealous eyebrow plucking, and just looking too damn hard in general to the list of charges.

Source: Associated Press

One dose of 'ack rite' coming up...

This is dedicated to everyone who plans on actin a foo' this weekend...

You can call me Jimmy

Former President Jimmy Carter called out Rep. Joe Wilson of the "you lie!" fame as a racist. Pres. Carter said Wilson's outburst was "based on racism." and rooted in fears of a black planet president. "I think it's based on racism," Carter said. "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."

Rep. Wilson's son (Why isn't his publicist or staff making statements for him?) issued a denial saying his father doesn't even laugh at off-color jokes.

See, this is why Jimmy's my man.

source

For once, Kanye was speechless

Just by sheer luck, Jay scheduled an appearance by Kanye, Jay-Z, and Rihanna to perform their newest hit "Run This town." After Kanye's antics Sunday night, Leno's people must have been salivating at the ratings bonanza from having Kanye on there. Kanye asked Leno if he could make some impromptu remarks about the incident at the VMA's. Kanye came on and, I believe, sincerely apologized for taking the stage and hurting Taylor Swift. When Leno asked him what his mother would have thought about all of it, Kanye choked up and became speechless. The entire studio was dead silent for almost a minute. I believe Kanye was sincere because he figeted throughout the entire interview and appeared on the verge of tears after Leno brought up his mother. He appeared without his sunglasses and without his coat. He looked like a small child who had been sent to the principal's office and threatened with a call to his parents. It was uncomfortable to watch at home and, I'm sure, uncomfortable for Leno as well. Kanye reiterated again he has not taken any time off from the music business since his mother passed; he vowed to take some time and reevaluate his plans for the future. I sincerely hope he takes a good hard look at the direction his life has taken and makes some serious changes in his own attitude, actions, and entourage.

Timeline of Kanye's Public Explosions

Skip to the 0:42 mark to see rare video of Kanye as a child


I love how everyone is shocked about Kanye's behavior last night. These people must not have been paying attention to him all these years. Remember when he said George Bush doesn't care about black people right after Hurricane Katrina? Or what about his CAPS LOCK rambling blog posts where he rips into everyone who refuses to let him be great.

In 2004 Kanye walked out of the American Music Awards when he lost out on the Best New Artist award to country singer Gretchen Wilson. He was quoted as saying "I felt like I was definitely robbed, and I refused to give any politically correct bullsh--ass comment ... I was the best new artist this year." Kanye alluded to an anti-Kanye conspiracy and vowed never to return to the AMAs.

In early 2005 Kanye staged his own death and resurrection during his performance at the Grammys to protest the media attention towards him prior to the show. He felt it was unwarranted to put him under a microscope waiting for him to explode, so he donned angel wings to show his innocence. (I know, I know.) A week before the ceremony he told MTV he would have "a real problem" if he didn't win Album of the Year for Late Registration. He said he thought voters would not choose him because he was so outspoken about George Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Kanye criticized hip hop magazines Vibe and the Source for not considering his album a classic. During the interview he also compared himself to Tom Cruise (come again?) and justified his tantrums because he spent over $600,000 of his own money on the album. Since he won that year for Best Rap Album, instead of a rant he said, "A lot of people were wondering what I was going to do if I didn't win anything ... I guess we'll never know."

In 2006 'Ye stormed the stage during another act's acceptance speech when his video "Touch the Sky" lost out to theirs at the MTV European Music Awards because his video "cost a million dollars and Pamela Anderson was in it." Kanye later admitted to drinking before the tirade. (Are we seeing a trend here?)

Kanye was reportedly guzzling Hennessey (people still drink that?) straight from the bottle last night before the show. Yeezy's behavior started long before his mother Donda's untimely death. How much do you want to bet he was one of those children who threw loud public tantrums to get his way?

Beyonce's PR machine works overtime and Kanye apologized again

For those who insisted Beyonce does not have a PR machine working 24/7/365 behind the scenes, TMZ is reporting Papa Knowles approached Taylor Swift practically the moment she arrived from the subway set to see if she wanted a new manager if she was okay. They discussed ways to make things right and finally settled on Beyonce giving up part of her acceptance time if she won. I'm certain he saw this as an opportunity to make Beyonce look like a class act as well as issue reparations to Taylor. It was a win-win situation and a shrewd business move. He ain't the boss for nothing. By the way, Dreamgirls--starring Beyonce--aired last night, but I'm sure you knew that with all the Beyonce talk of late.

Oh and Kanye issued yet another apology. Like it makes a difference.

"I feel like Ben Stiller in "Meet the Parents" when he messed up everything and Robert De Niro asked him to leave... That was Taylor's moment and I had no right in any way to take it from her. I am truly sorry."

Donald Trump, himself no stranger to mediawhoring, called for a boycott of Kanye and his moneymaking ventures. He also called Kanye on the carpet for his faux-Staning for Beyonce. "He couldn't care less about Beyonce. It was grandstanding to get attention."

Kanye wasn't just satisfied with Taylor; Kanye interrupted Obama, too!

Kanye posted an apology on his website

Kanye posted an apology for his heckling during the VMA's:

"I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM," Kanye wrote on his site, AP reported. "I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED!"

Others aren't really buying his apology:

Pink tweeted about her annoyance with Kanye. "Kanye West is the biggest piece of sh-t on earth. Quote me," she wrote. "My heart goes out to Taylor Swift. She is a sweet and talented girl, and deserved her moment. She should know we all love her." She later said on the Today Show that the incident never would have happened if she had won because she had a cute Alexander McQueen purse with brass knuckles on it.

Now, I'm going to be honest here. I had heard Taylor Swift's name before but couldn't pick her out of a lineup before last night (and maybe still this morning). When I saw Kanye run up next to her on stage I thought it was part of the night's skits. After listening to what he had to say, I felt sorry for the girl. That was her first VMA and she is only 19. To her credit, Beyonce looked shocked and embarassed (though some are saying she and Kanye orchestrated the event). Maybe this was another Eminem-Sascha Baron Cohen type scam. If so, it was in poor taste just like so much of the awards show (Russell Brand's jokes, Lady Ga Ga's 'performance', etc.).

As far as Bey goes, it was just good PR for her to 'graciously' give up her award acceptance time to Taylor. If she hadn't, the backlash would have extended to her. Her PR team was just earning their keep. The same applies to her pre-show statement that Janet Jackson was one of her inspirations. This after her quote earlier this year: “I grew up upper class. Private school..My dad had a Jaguar. We’re African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we’re like the Jacksons, but I didn’t have parents using me to get out of a bad situation.” Um, yeah. It doesn't sound much like she idolized her. More like just swaggerjacked her style and kept it moving.

Pacman's big mouth lost him a football contract

Pacman Jones just screwed himself out of a football contract with the Canadian Football Leage in all of 15 minutes. He streamed a video on Ustream in which he basically insulted the CFL and his Winnipeg fans by saying he would drop them like a bad habit the moment an NFL team came calling. He then went on to brag about his house and his girlfriend's engagement ring among other foolish things. Adam, Adam. If ever there were a time to appear humble...here is the gist of what he said courtesy of the Winnepeg Sun:

“I’ve got a clause in my contract, when I get a call from an NFL team I can go over,” he said. “I actually got two calls today, so if they tell me tomorrow that Pacman’s back, that’d be a bummer for all my Winnipeg fans.”
“Go to the UFL and do my thing and get ready for a playoff run in the NFL, you know what I’m sayin’?”
“That’s when someone called Jones, live, and presumably told him what league he was really going to.
“Pain is only temporary,” Jones said. “Besides, I’m only gonna be there for eight weeks… or shorter.”

source

Republican Senator calls Obama a liar during his healthcare speech

After heavy criticism from both the left and the right, including Sen. John McCain, Rep. Joe Wilson issued an apology for his outburst.

I would have caught a case

61-year-old Roger Stephens took matters into his own hands when he encountered a mother with a crying child in his local WalMart. According to the child's mother, Sonya Mathews, the man approached her in the store and told her “if you don’t shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you.” The frightened mother then saw Stephens on another aisle in the store where he approached her, reached out, and slapped her child "four or five times" across the face. He then said, “see, I told you I would shut her up.” According to police reports, a bystander detained the man until police arrived. Stephens admitted slapping the girl, but said he had apologized to the mother. He was booked on a count of felony cruelty to a child anyway.

Of course parents need to supervise and discipline their children. I have seen plenty of children I WANTED to give a spanking to. A lot of parents are not even bothering to parent; they want to be their child's "friend." I don't know about you, but I had plenty of friends growing up and they were all my age. My parents were my parents. Never in a million years would I have spanked a total stranger's child in a public place.

My kids know how to act in public, so if one of them were crying it would be for a good reason (bumped head, stomach ache, smashed fingers, etc.) If it were me he never would have gotten past that first threat because I would have thrown one right back at him. If he approached us, I would have put my children behind me and gotten ready to open a can of whoopass on his wrinkled rectum.

German magazine admits it faked MJ Coroner Van video

A spokesperson for German television station RTL produced the hoax video for its daily magazine "Explosive" to tell people not to believe everything they see or read on the internet or media. "This was so obviously fake, in the case of Michael Jackson, it just was not possible," Schultz said.

RTL claims some viewers have been happy the station showed how easy it was to fake information online. Many others have commented online that this was completely tasteless to do in the wake of such an important person's death; this was the wrong topic to do this kind of experiment on. The video sparked incredible worldwide interest; more than 880,000 people have viewed the original video on YouTube. I called out this video as a hoax last week; I have posted a link to the annotated video showing why the video is a hoax. Click on the bubble in the upper right hand corner to translate it. I told y'all we're worldwide!

Attorney Urges Record Companies to Enforce Codes of Conduct

Lauren Raysor (pic above) held a press conference Monday afternoon (August 24), where the lawyer called for record labels to help regulate artists’ off-wax behavior. Raysor is the attorney who helped put Bronx rapper Remy Ma behind bars for shooting her client Makeda Barnes-Joseph. The conference, which commemorated the two-year anniversary of the shooting, put the burden on record companies to provide guidance to artists.

“We have to tell the shareholders of these major corporations that they have to not take money and profit from kids that are killing themselves,” Raysor said. “They have a responsibility to tell these record labels that you at least have to do a little bit more for these young people, show them what the business is like.”

Raysor propositioned that labels put a “morality clause” in their artists’ contracts, providing monetary incentive for artists to not engage in violent or criminal acts. She compared the music industry to the NBA and NFL, both leagues that enforce codes of conduct.

“It is your outside behavior we are talking about,” she said. “We’re not talking about what you write.” The next step is to meet with label execs in an effort put the morals clause into effect. What do you think?